Case-based optimization

Itzhak Gilboa*, David Schmeidler

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

43 Scopus citations

Abstract

An aspiration level adjustment rule is "realistic" if the aspiration level is (almost always) set to be an average of its previous value and the best average performance so far encountered. It is "ambitious" if the aspiration level is set to exceed the maximal average performance by some constant infinitely often. We analyze a case-based decision maker with a realistic-but-ambitious aspiration level adjustment rule facing a multi-armed bandit repeatedly. Though unaware of the payoff distributions corresponding to the arms of the bandit, the decision maker will asymptotically choose only expected-utility maximizing acts. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C6, C61, D7, D72, D8, D81, D83.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-26
Number of pages26
JournalGames and Economic Behavior
Volume15
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1996

Funding

FundersFunder number
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

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